California Xiao
California Xiao 'Bloodline Bane: The Sociopath Curse' All members of Xiao Jun Jie’s bloodline are sociopaths, emotionally stunted even by Kindred standards. Although driven by the same lusts and hungers that define their parent clan, they are bereft of passion and romance, driven instead by an obsessive desire to possess and control those around them. In addition to the Wanton Bane suffered by all Daeva, Xiao never benefit from the 10-again rule on rolls involving Empathy, Expression, or Socialize. In addition, any time a Xiao is involved in circumstances that demand a display of compassion or remorse, he or she becomes irritable instead. If the circumstance persists, he or she must roll to resist frenzy with a base -2 modifier. 'Disciplines' Celerity, Majesty, Nightmare, Vigor 'Bloodline Gift: Oblivion's Kiss' When feeding subtly from a mortal, the Xiao may choose to access to the emotional soul of his prey. The vampire may choose an emotion, and as long as he continues to feed he feels the full impact of all the victim’s experience with regard to that emotion - which is usually an intensely enjoyable and stimulating sensation. After using this ability, the vampire gains a +2 bonus on rolls to manipulate the subject due to his intimate familiarity with the subject’s emotions and experiences. This bonus lasts for the remainder of the night, until the feelings inspired by the feeding fade from the Xiao’s mind as they slumber through the day. This ability takes a toll on the subject’s soul, however. A victim of this ability always gains the Drained condition, regardless of the amount of vitae taken from them, and additionally suffers from the effects of the Soulless condition until the lethal damage from the Xiao’s feeding is healed. The victim cannot be the target of another use of Oblivion's Kiss until the Drained condition is resolved. Those who observe the victim may note that he seems hollow, as if missing some crucial part of his being. 'Kingjan Devotions' ''Degradation'' (Majesty ••) When activating this power, the Xiao speaks calmly to the target, flatting her or otherwise expressing approval in an apparent attempt to bolster her confidence. In fact, the power is a subtle attack, designed to weaken the victim's ability to function without the Xiao. The vampire's words seem harmless enough, but the mystic undertone delivers a deeper, more insidious message: "You are only at your best when you are with me." :Cost: None :Dice Pool: Presence + Persuasion + Majesty versus Subject's Composure + Blood Potency :Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive. Roll Results :Dramatic Failure: The victim is unaffected by the power, reacting to the words of the Xiao only as he would normally. Furthermore, the victim is immune to any Majesty-based powers the vampire might use for the rest of the night. :Failure: The character loses or ties the contested roll. This attempt to Degrade the victim fails, but another attempt may be made with a -1 penalty. :Success: The character wins the contested roll by getting the most successes. The victim will feel confident in the Xiao's presence, but will be noticeably shaken if separated from the vampire. She gains the Reliant Condition for hours equal to the vampire's successes. :Exceptional Success: The character wins a contested roll with five or more successes, and the target is deeply affected by the Xiao's praise. The effects of the Reliant Condition are doubled, and it lasts until the following sunset. ''Mortify'' (Nightmare ••) By engaging a victim in conversation, a Xiao can warp the nature of his passions, inspiring twisted feelings of shame and disgust when they are indulged. The Xiao who invokes this sensation is then free to dispel it at a whim, painting themselves as a savior. To activate this power, the Xiao must speak to his victim, encouraging them to talk about one of their favorite activities or sensations. :Cost: 1 Vitae :Dice Pool: Manipulation + Subterfuge + Nightmare versus subject's Composure + Blood Potency :Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive. Roll Results :Dramatic Failure: The target experiences his passions with burning, renewed intensity. He recovers a point of Willpower, if applicable, and is immune to the vampire's Nightmare powers for the rest of the night. :Failure: The character loses or ties the contested roll. This attempt to Mortify fails, but another attempt may be made with a -1 penalty. :Success: The target of the power gains the Mortified Condition. This is removed after a number of nights equal to the successes scored on the activation roll in excess of the defender. It can be removed prematurely if the vampire releases the victim by conversing with him again and reassuring him. At that moment, the guilt fades completely, and the target is free to engage in his passion. Victims will rationalize the power's effects, associating the guilt they felt with some internal failing (or outside influence unrelated to the vampire) and viewing the vampire as a soothing, encouraging influence. :Vampiric subjects may attempt to override this rationalization by spending a point of Willpower and succeeding on a reflexive Composure + Blood Potency roll. If it fails, the subject rationalizes the experience just as a mortal would. If the roll succeeds, the vampire can clearly see that the feelings inspired were not normal, and are not obliged to think kindly of the Xiao. :Exceptional Success: No special effect. A relevant Condition may be applied. This Devotion costs 2 Experiences (10 Beats). ''Wave of Apathy'' (Nightmare ••) With a simple wave of the hand or curl of the lip, a Xiao can demolish an intended victim’s sense of self-worth and determination, leaving them helpless to resist the vampire’s advances. Those overcome by this power find their passion and strength of mind rapidly siphoned away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of indifferent sloth. :Cost: 1 Willpower :Dice Pool: None; modifies Dread Presence Those under the effects of the vampire's Dread Presence are unable to spend Willpower for any reason, including activating Disciplines or attempting to Ride the Wave. They regain no Willpower for fulfilling either Mask or Dirge unless the action would ordinarily cause them regain all Willpower, in which case they regain a single point. They may still regain Willpower for protecting their Touchstone. This Devotion costs 2 Experiences (10 Beats). ''Blessed Detachment (Majesty ••••) No emotion, no matter how deeply rooted, is so strong that Blessed Detachment cannot destroy it eventually. The vampire targets a victim's feelings about a specific item, object, person, group, or action. This power doesn't force the victim to take any specific action against the chosen subject, but the power completely changes his attitude toward it. :'Cost': 1 Vitae :'Dice Pool': Manipulation + Intimidation + Majesty versus subject's Composure + Blood Potency :'Action': Instant :'Requirement': The roll may be made only at the end of a full scene's conversation. Blessed Detachment can only be used on the same victim once a night. '''Roll Results' :Dramatic Failure: The victim's spirit rises in sudden, powerful rebellion, ruining the vampire's attempt. All accumulated stacks of the Detached Condition are discarded, and the victim is immune to further uses of Blessed Detachment for a month. :Failure: All accumulated successes are lost. The vampire may begin again the following night. :Success: Add one stack of the Detached Condition to the subject. :Exceptional Success: Add two stacks of the Detached Condition to the subject. One stack of Detached is removed after a number of nights equal to the vampire's most recent successes. Subjecting a victim to Blessed Detachment is a deeply immoral act, and provokes a Breaking Point at Humanity 6. If the victim is detached from anyone he genuinely loves or feels a deep attachment to, it is instead a Breaking Point at Humanity 3. This Devotion costs 2 Experiences (10 Beats). 'Conditions' ''Detached'' When the stack of Detached Conditions equals the victim's Willpower dots, the victim stops feeling any emotion at all toward the targeted item, object, person, group, or action. With regard to the chosen subject, the victim acts as if it no longer matters to him at all, but he remains otherwise free willed. Thus, a victim with high Humanity who becomes Detached from his his regnant suddenly finds that he no longer cares about her at all. He is not subject to Breaking Points for causing his regnant to come to harm, but nor will he necessarily go out of his way to make her suffer. Detachment does not change your memory of your former emotions - you just no longer feel them. Attempts to encourage you to harm or forsake the chosen subject do not suffer the normal penalties. In the same manner, the chosen subject does not gain any bonus when attempting to influence you. When you snap out of your detachment, you are suddenly overcome by a maddening feeling of guilt over any misdeed you might have done. If there were any breaking points you were not required to face while detached, you must make them on resolution with a -2 die penalty. :Resolution: You gain a dot of Humanity, lose a dot of Humanity, or roll an exceptional success on a Breaking Point. :Beat: You suffer significant loss due to your indifference. Also on resolution. ''Mortified'' You have developed an overpowering sensation of shame and disgust toward an activity or sensation. The thought of indulging in it makes you intensely uncomfortable, and in order to voluntarily perform it you must first succeed at a Resolve + Composure roll. If the roll succeeds you suffer no penalties, but the condition is not resolved and you continue to feel vaguely guilty after the fact. If you fail, you suffer a sudden panic attack and are compelled to avoid the source of your shame. Supernatural creatures prone to loss of control, including vampires, must roll to avoid frenzy if forced to confront this. :Resolution: You gain Humanity, lose Humanity, or roll an exceptional success on the Resolve + Composure roll. :Beat: You are rendered unable to perform an important or significant task due to the Mortified condition. Also on resolution. ''Reliant'' You are confident when in the presence of the person you Rely on, but if unable to see or hear them suffer a -1 die penalty to all actions caused by a sudden nervousness. You may or may not understand the cause of your anxiety, but you will understand that it fades as soon as the person you Rely on is nearby. :Resolution: You dramatically fail an action despite the presence of the person you Rely on, or they stand by while you are in harm or distress without attempting to aid you. :Beat: You choose not to attempt an action that would significantly benefit your character because the person you Rely on is not nearby. Also on resolution. 'Source' The California Xiao are from Bloodlines: The Chosen, pp 85-91. This update to Blood & Smoke rules is by CatDoom, with a few changes by Is_A_Becca. Category:Translations Category:Daeva Category:Bloodlines Category:Devotions Category:Conditions